Moose Spotlight: Making Clean, Minimalist, and Timeless Jewelry Creations

"Patience, practice and be nice to yourself!"

- Kelly, @kellycurtisdesigns

MEET THE ARTIST

@kellycurtisdesigns on Instagram

This is jewelry artist Kelly Curtis from Anchorage, Alaska. She has been creating metalsmithing for a year now and her gorgeous creations can be seen on her Instagram, @kellycurtisdesigns 💚

For Kelly, it's all about how we feel. She wants to create pieces that make people feel amazing! She added, "The process of creating these pieces with my two hands, from scratch fills me with an abundance of joy and happiness; and I want those who wear my jewelry to feel just that. I take great pride in the pieces I create."

Starting out was a bit of a struggle for Kelly. She said there is so much information out there, and she has no formal education in silversmithing. "Navigating the wealth of on-line information was a challenge. After a few months I was able to find my people and community support," she explained. Kelly stated that there are a lot of great resources out there, adding that she just needed to relax, find few that fit. 🫶🏼

Kelly still remembers the very very first piece of handforged jewelry she sold. It was her coworker/friend who bought it for her Aunt. She saw Kelly's post on either Facebook or Instagram. Kelly said it was a Sonoran Gold Turquoise Necklace, April of this year. 🥰

Here are some beautiful jewelry pieces by Kelly!

Turquoise Necklace by Kelly Curtis of @kellycurtisdesigns on Instagram

Half Moon Turquoise Ring by Kelly Curtis of @kellycurtisdesigns on Instagram

Turquoise Jewelry by Kelly Curtis of @kellycurtisdesigns on Instagram

ARTIST'S DESIGN STYLE

Firsts are almost always special, and Kelly still remembers vividly the very first AHA! moment when she started silversmithing. She said, "It was my first design of 2022 - Beautiful Purple Tiffany stone, set with a beaded boarder, and 3 balls. It was the first time I soldered extra designs elements. It was also my first split ring band, Ring size, me! I kept this one. :)" How special!

THE DESIGN PROCESS

Kelly explained that she's not one who sits down and sketches out designs. Typically, she starts with a stone, cut the bezel and backplate, then sees where it takes her. Sometimes, she'll be playing with different designs elements, and just decide she needs to move on to something else, as it just isn't feeling right. When she comes back to that piece, Kelly said things start to fall into place and feel right. 💚

Asked to describe her own design style, Kelly said, "I feel like my style is more clean, and simple with minimal designs elements. Letting the stones stand out and do all the talking!" ✨

Here are a few more lovely creations by Kelly 🤩